Next Hearts manager contenders after Neil Critchley exit

Following the sacking of Neil Critchley after just six months in charge of the club, we take a look at the early contenders to become the next Hearts manager.

Potential next Hearts managers

John McGlynn

Falkirk manager John McGlynn has emerged as the early frontrunner for the vacant role at Hearts.

63-year-old McGlynn has enjoyed marked success at Falkirk, steering the club to the Scottish League One title last term without losing a single match and on the verge of securing back-to-back promotions with the Bairns who are currently top of the Scottish Championship.

McGlynn has in fact managed Hearts before, with the former Raith Rovers and Livingston boss in charge at Tynecastle during the 2012/13 season.

The Scotsman's ability to lift Falkirk out of the doldrums in the third tier and to the brink of a return to the Premiership for the first time since 2010 is unlikely to have gone unnoticed, with the Hearts hierarchy possibly primed to hand McGlynn the keys to one of the biggest clubs in the country.

Robbie Neilson

Another ex-Hearts manager who could possibly be in line for a return to Tynecastle is Robbie Neilson.

Captaining the club as a player, Neilson has managed Hearts twice before for a combined five years.

Neilson was able to lead Hearts to promotion from the Scottish Championship twice as league winners in 2015 and 2021.

The former right-back is currently out of work having exited USL Championship side Tampa Bay Rowdies in April.

Des Buckingham

If Hearts have not been dissuaded by hiring an England-based manager following Critchley's struggles in the role, they may be interested in hiring Des Buckingham as the club's new boss.

Originally cutting his teeth in coaching in New Zealand with Wellington Phoenix and the country's youth international teams, Buckingham was recruited by the City Football Group in 2020 and joined Melbourne City as an assistant coach.

From Melbourne Buckingham landed the top job at fellow City Football Group side Mumbai City in 2021, with the Englishman guiding the club to the Indian Super League Winners' Shield in 2023.

Formerly a youth player at Oxford United, Buckingham returned to the club as manager in November 2023 and steered the club to promotion to the Championship via the play-offs.

40-year-old Buckingham was sacked by Oxford United in December 2024 with the club sat in 20th place in the Championship, with his availability and credentials perhaps appealing to Hearts as they search for a new manager.

Stephen Robinson

One current Scottish Premiership manager who could be of interest to Hearts is St Mirren's Stephen Robinson.

Northern Irishman Robinson knows the Scottish game inside out having also previously managed Motherwell between 2017 and 2020, inspiring the club to the Scottish Cup final and Scottish League Cup final in 2017/18 with the Steelmen ultimately falling short in both showpieces.

In Robinson's three full seasons in charge of St Mirren he has guided the Buddies to the top six, with his track record in the Scottish Premiership making him a potentially desirable candidate as the next man in the dugout at Hearts.

Kim Hellburg

Should Hearts opt to look further afield in their pursuit of a new manager, Swede Kim Hellberg is a candidate who could fit the bill.

Hellberg has developed a reputation as one of the best young managers in Swedish football having led unfancied Varnamo to commendable Allsvenskan finishes of 10th and fifth before taking over at Hammarby.

The 37-year-old guided Hammarby to a second-placed finish in the Allsvenskan in 2024 and has reportedly drawn interest from Norwegian clubs Molde and Brann as well as Swansea City in the Championship.

Given fellow Swede Jimmy Thelin's success with Hearts' Scottish Premiership rivals Aberdeen, the Jambos' board may be interested in making a move to attract another of Scandinavia's sharpest young coaches in the form of Hellberg.